BOSTON — John Smoltz finally felt as if he contributed to the Boston Red Sox. He doesn't expect it to be for the last time.

Smoltz got his first win for Boston and Kevin Youkilis hit two home runs to lift the Red Sox over the Kansas City Royals, 15-9, last night.

"I feel like I've checked in," Smoltz said. "It has been a long time, but this is not a feel-good story. I believe this team will be in position to win every time I go out there and the best is yet to come."

Smoltz (1-2) struck out seven over five innings, allowing one run on four hits. He struck out four batters in a row over the second and third inning capped off by called third strikes that painted the corner on Miguel Olivo and Tony Pena. Smoltz left with a 9-1 lead.

Coming off shoulder surgery that cut his 2008 season to six appearances, the 42-year-old Smoltz didn't make his first start until June 25 against Washington. He struggled with an 0-2 record and 6.60 ERA in three previous appearances.

"If you told me seven or eight years ago that I'd be helping John Smoltz get a win, I probably wouldn't believe you. That was awesome," Red Sox reliever Daniel Bard said.

Gil Meche (4-9) left with two outs in the fourth inning with back spasms after he had allowed seven runs — five earned.

"Stuff-wise I thought I had great stuff," Meche said. "After the second pitch to (Dustin) Pedroia in the fourth inning I felt a twinge in my lower back and it was a bad muscle spasm. It's a good thing the All-Star break is here."

Jason Varitek and David Ortiz also homered for Boston while Youkilis, who had been in a 3-for-30 slump, drove in four runs and scored four as well.

The only real trouble for Smoltz came in the fourth inning after he gave up back-to-back singles to Billy Butler and Mark Teahen, but he retired the next three batters.

ANGELS 14, YANKEES 8:

Mike Napoli hit a go-ahead two-run double off David Robertson during a seven-run fifth inning and added a solo homer in the seventh, leading host Los Angeles to its second straight come-from-behind victory over New York.

Alex Rodriguez homered twice for the Yankees, increasing his career total to 570 and putting him in 10th place on the all-time list.

WHITE SOX 8, TWINS 7:

Jim Thome drove in four runs, countering two home runs by ex-teammate Joe Crede, and Bobby Jenks picked up his 20th save, despite giving up Jose Morales' two-run single, as visiting Chicago held off Minnesota.

INDIANS 5, TIGERS 4:

Carl Pavano (8-7), helped by three double plays, allowed two runs and seven hits in eight innings and Travis Hafner drove in two runs as visiting Cleveland won for just the seventh time in 25 games and snapped Detroit's three-game winning streak.

ATHLETICS 7, RAYS 2:

Rajai Davis tied it with a two-run homer and Adam Kennedy capped a four-run top of the seventh with another two-run shot as Oakland rallied to end Tampa Bay's nine-game home winning streak.

ORIOLES 4, BLUE JAYS 3:

Melvin Mora ended a 50-game homerless drought with an opposite-field drive against Jesse Carlson (1-4) with one out in the bottom of the 12th inning, lifting Baltimore over Toronto.

MARINERS 4, RANGERS 1:

Rob Johnson hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh and Ichiro Suzuki capped the inning with an RBI single to lift Seattle over Texas.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

PHILLIES 8, PIRATES 7:

Pinch-hitter Matt Stairs led off the bottom of the ninth with a homer, Ryan Howard tied it with a three-run shot, and Paul Bako capped the five spot with an RBI single to lift Philadelphia over Pittsburgh.

METS 4, REDS 0:

Jeff Francoeur had a two-run single in his Mets debut and Johan Santana (10-7) scattered five hits over seven innings, leading New York over Cincinnati. Reds right fielder Jay Bruce broke his right wrist trying to make a sliding catch.

CUBS 5, CARDINALS 2:

Ted Lilly (9-6) allowed four hits and a run in eight innings to earn his 100th career win, and Jeff Baker sparked a three-run bottom of the first inning with a two-run single as Chicago beat St. Louis.

BREWERS 6, DODGERS 3:

J.J. Hardy hit a two-out, two-run double in the bottom of the eighth for a 6-2 lead, and Mike Burns (2-2) spaced six hits and left with a 4-3 lead after five innings as Milwaukee held off Los Angeles.

NATIONALS 13, ASTROS 2:

Nick Johnson, Josh Willingham and Adam Dunn homered in consecutive at-bats to open a 9-2 lead in the top of the sixth inning as Washington set season highs for hits (21) and runs in routing Houston.

BRAVES 4, ROCKIES 3:

Jair Jurrjens (7-7) gave up two runs and five hits over six-plus innings, singled twice, drove in a run and scored a run, leading visiting Atlanta past Colorado. Ryan Church went 0 for 4 in his Braves' debut.

GIANTS 2, PADRES 1:

Pablo Sandoval hit a two-run homer in the fourth, and Justin Miller (2-1) pitched 3 1/3 scoreless innings as a replacement for Matt Cain, who left in the second inning after getting hit by a liner in his pitching arm.

DIAMONDBACKS 5, MARLINS 1:

All-Star Justin Upton matched a career high with four hits, Miguel Montero had a two-run double, and Jon Garland (5-8) allowed one run and seven hits in eight innings to lead host Arizona over Florida.

NOTES

Braves: Atlanta sent undefeated rookie Tommy Hanson to Class-A Myrtle Beach and called up right-hander Luis Valdez from Triple-A Gwinnett.

The Braves said the move was made to add bullpen depth for their weekend series in Colorado. Hanson, 4-0 with a 2.85 ERA, can be recalled in time to make his first scheduled start after the All-Star break.

Cubs: Chicago placed catcher Geovany Soto on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left oblique muscle and recalled outfielder Sam Fuld from Triple-A Iowa.

Soto, the 2008 NL rookie of the year, was injured during batting practice Wednesday. He could be out for a month. Yesterday's move is retroactive to July 7.

Dodgers: Los Angeles closer Jonathan Broxton likely will have to skip Tuesday's All-Star game because of an ailing big toe on his right foot.

Dodgers manager Joe Torre said Broxton was limping after giving up two runs in Friday's 12-8 win over Milwaukee.

Rays: Tampa Bay catcher Dioner Navarro was scheduled to undergo tests at a St. Petersburg, Fla. hospital to see if he has a concussion after getting hurt in the seventh inning of last night's game against Oakland.

Navarro was hit on the side of his mask by a foul tip off the bat of Jack Cust. He needed assistance to walk off the field.